Singapore, 25 May 2011 - Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean today called attention to the important role sport plays in Singapore's future.
2 Speaking at the Singapore Sports Awards 2011 ceremony held at the Orchard Hotel, DPM Teo said, "Living in a nation of many races and many cultures, we need to find a common ground. Sport is that common ground, the space we can all share and celebrate. Sport is our opportunity to unite as one, regardless of language, religion, race or age."
3 Also present at the event was Major General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports. DPM Teo, who is also the Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, Minister for Home Affairs and President of the Singapore National Olympic Council, added that strong community bonds and a common identity for all Singaporeans were essential for Singapore to continue thriving and achieving success in today's competitive environment. Sport, with its incredible ability to break down barriers and unify a diversified population will certainly play a more prominent role in Singapore's constant strive for excellence.
4 DPM Teo also reminded Team Singapore athletes and officials of their ability to "bring our nation to its feet," further illustrating the power of sport and the role it plays in nation building.
5 National youth footballer Jeffrey Lightfoot, captain of the football under-16 team agreed with DPM Teo's comments and rallying call and said, "Playing in a stadium packed with cheering fans is truly inspiring. It gives us the extra boost in morale and confidence to keep on fighting even when we are down. It is also great to see Singaporeans from all walks of life, coming together under one roof, and holding the Singapore flag up high, in victory or in defeat."
6 DPM Teo also called on Singaporeans to support Team Singapore athletes at the various upcoming events which will be taking place in Singapore and around the region for 2011, including the SEA Games 2011, which will be held in Palembang and Jakarta in November. Singapore will be playing host to the Li Ning Singapore Open 2011, the 23rd Canon Lion City Cup, the Mission Foods World Netball Championships 2011 Singapore, the 2011 Volkswagen Women?s World Cup and the 2011 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships.
7 Urging Team Singapore on, DPM Teo added, "I hope the Singapore Sports Awards will encourage all of you to work harder and push yourselves even further so that you are able to achieve all your sporting hopes and dreams. On behalf of all Singaporeans, please continue to provide us with many more special sporting moments. Every time you reach for the stars, you make us proud. You help us build partnerships, strengthen our community bonds and unite as one Singapore."
8 A total of 79 athletes received 60 awards from DPM Teo and Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Chan Chun Sing, who presented the Meritorious Awards to the athletes, at the Singapore Sports Awards 2011. These athletes and officials were each honoured with the country's most prestigious recognition of sporting excellence, for their contributions towards Singapore's sporting achievements in 2010.
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Annex A - About the Singapore Sports Awards
The most prestigious annual recognition for sporting achievements in our city state, the Singapore Sports Awards were first introduced in late 1960's with the initial focus on sportsmen and sportswomen. Swimmers Tan Thuan Heng, and Patricia Chan were the first winners.
Since then, the much coveted Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year titles have gone to some of the finest names in Singapore sport.
The Awards were later extended to include Coach of the Year, and Team of the Year.
In the same year, meritorious awards, given to recognise extraordinary efforts by Singaporean athletes were also given out for the first time.
In 1978, the Sportsboy and Sportsgirl of the year awards were added. The focus on youth has also led to the introduction of the Meritorious awards for juniors in 1978. Since then, some of Singapore's brightest and most promising athletes have been recognised.
The diversity of sports represented by the winners is a telling comment of how far Singapore sports has come. It not only shows the level of competition among sports but also reflects the fact that athletes and coaches have the opportunity to shine at the highest level whatever the discipline they choose to focus on. As Singapore moves towards excellence at the regional level and beyond, such democracy of sporting choices will serve us well.
Annex B - List of Singapore Sports Awards Recipients
Senior Awards
S/N
Awards
Awardees
Sports
01
Sportsman of the Year
Gai Bin
Shooting
02
Sportswoman of the Year
Jasmine Ser Xiang Wei
Shooting
03
Coach of the Year
William Woo Nam Fatt
Bowling
04
Team of the Year (Event)
National Table Tennis Women's
Team
Feng Tianwei
Wang Yuegu
Sun Beibei
Yu Mengyu
Li Jiawei
Table Tennis
05
Meritorious Awards (Individual)
Cherie Tan Shi Hua
Bowling
06
Remy Ong
Bowling
07
Peter Edward Gilchrist
Billiards
08
Lim Heem
Wei
Gymnastics
09
Chan Thuang
Tong David-Jonathan
Gymnastics
10
Shermeen Lim Xin Yi
Lawn Bowl
11
Colin Cheng Xinru
Sailing
12
Scott Glen Sydney
Sailing
13
AqilahBinteSudhir
Shooting
14
Poh Lip Meng
Shooting
15
Nigel Lim Swee Hon
Shooting
16
Tao Li
Swimming
17
Feng Tianwei
Table Tennis
18
Yang Zi
Table Tennis
19
Wang Yuegu
Table Tennis
20
Gao Ning
Table Tennis
21
Yu Mengyu
Table Tennis
22
Meritorious Awards (Event)
National Badminton Women's
Doubles Team
ShintaMulia Sari
Yao Lei
Badminton
23
National Badminton Mixed
Doubles Team
ChayutTriyachart
Yao Lei
Badminton
24
National Bowling Women's
Trios Team
Cherie Tan Shi Hua
Geraldine Ng Su Yi
Shayna Ng Lin Zhi
Bowling
25
National Bowling Men's
Doubles Team
Remy Ong
Jason Yeong-Nathan
Bowling
26
National Sailing Hobie 16 Team
Teo Wee Chin
Justin Wong Ming Ho
Sailing
27
National Sailing 420 Women's
Team
Dawn Liu Xiaodan
Siobhan Tam ShiuWun
Sailing
28
National Shooting Women's 50m
Rifle 3- Position Doubles Team
Jasmine Ser Xiang Wei
AqilahBteSudhir
Shooting
29
National Shooting 25m
Standard Pistol Men's Pair
Gai Bin
Poh Lip Meng
Shooting
30
National Shooting 10m Air
Rifle Women's Pair
Jasmine Ser Xiang Wei
Cheng JianHuan
Shooting
31
National Shooting 50m Free
Pistol Men's Pair
Gai Bin
Nigel Lim Swee Hon
Shooting
32
National Table Tennis Mixed
Doubles Team
Yang Zi
Wang Yuegu
Table Tennis
33
National Table Tennis Mixed
Doubles Team
Gao Ning
Feng Tianwei
Table Tennis
34
National Table Tennis Women's
Doubles Team
Sun Beibei
Li Jiawei
Table Tennis
35
National Table Tennis Men's
Team
Gao Ning
Yang Zi
CaiXiaoli
Pang Xuejie
Ma Liang
Table Tennis
36
National Table Tennis Women's
Doubles Team
Feng Tianwei
Wang Yuegu
Table Tennis
37
National Table Tennis Men's
Doubles Team
Gao Ning
Yang Zi
Table Tennis
SPORTSBOY/SPORTSGIRL AWARDS
S/N
Awards
Awardees
Sports
01
Sportsboy of the Year
Darren Choy Wong Loong
Sailing
02
Sportsgirl of the Year
New Hui Fen
Bowling
03
Team of the Year
(Event)
National Sailing 420 Boys' Team
Justin Liu Xiaman
Sherman Cheng Feng Yuan
Sailing
04
Team of the Year
(Team Sport)
National Football Under-15
Boys' Team
Jeffrey Adam Lightfoot
Mohammad FashahIskandar Bin S Rosedin
Muhamad AmirulIskandar Bin KhairulAnuar
Syazwan Radhi
Bin Kasim
AmmirulEmmran Bin Mazlan Brandon Koh Kim Leong
Mohamad Hanafi
Bin Mohd Akbar Muhammad Syazwan Bin Mohamed Zin
Sunny Ng Qiu
Yang
Jonathan Tan Zen Yang
Illyas Lee Si Qin
Hamzah Bin Fazil
Dhukhilan s/o Jeevamani Muhammad Muhaimin Bin Suhaimi
Muhammad Irfan Asyraf Bin Mohamed Aziz
Bryan Nicolas Neubronner Muhammad Firdaus Bin
Mohd Sham
The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) is the national nonprofit organisation that coordinates the selection of Singaporean athletes for competition at the major games such as the Olympics, the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the South East Asian Games. Singapore's involvement in the Games is resolutely anchored in the Olympic ideals that were first espoused by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, in 1894. For more information, please visit www.snoc.org.sg.
Formed in 1973, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) is tasked with developing a holistic sports culture for the nation. The SSC creates opportunities for people to excel in sports; opportunities for people to be engaged in sports as, coaches, officials, volunteers or fans; and opportunities for people to do business in sports as sponsors and investors. The SSC has changed the way Singaporeans view and participate in sports. Through sports, we now have an enhanced national identity thanks to our sports participation programmes; greater national pride as a result of high performance results at international and regional games; and more diversified economic stability through our vibrant sports industry initiatives.
Originally mooted by the then-Ministry of Community Development and Sports, and launched on 20 April 2001 by then-Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan, Team Singapore is the united identity of elite athletes, coaches and officials from Singapore that represents the country in major multi-sport Games and identified international competitions.
The three core attributes of Pride, Performance and Perseverance anchor that which is the collective Team Singapore. Underscoring the traits of a winning team, these attributes are the important elements of sportsmanship and excellence that propel the nation forward to succeed on the world's sporting stage.
Team Singapore inspires our nation's athletic talents to continually evolve the level of elite sports in Singapore, while galvanising and connecting the community in support of their sporting endeavours.
